The Phillies Zone

KISSIMMEE, Fla. -- Nothing like a little spring dust-up.

A batter after allowing a home run to Carlos Lee, Cole Hamels tried to quick pitch Bill Hall. ("Just trying to get the game going," Hamels said.) Well, Hall didn't appreciate that. He stepped off and Hamels couldn't throw.

So on the next pitch, he brushed Hall back high and inside. Hall started jabbering at Hamels and the pitcher waved his glove at Hall. The benches nearly cleared and both teams were issued a warning by home-plate umpire Laz Diaz.

Afterward, Hamels said it wasn't a big deal.

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"It's one of those things, I kind of don't want to speak (about)," he said. "It's baseball. I don't know him personally, but I do know he's a good guy."

"He’s definitely a marked man for me now, so when I do some damage off him, I’m going to let him know I did some damage off him," Hall told the Houston Chronicle. "I can guarantee that."

Hmm.

"I don’t feel like I do a lot of things to have pitchers mad at me for doing things on the field," Hall said. "I feel like I play the game the right way. But if you disrespect me, I’m going to do my best to disrespect you back. Obviously not in a way to disrespect the game, but obviously I’m going to let him know when I face him."

Well, that chance could come quickly. The Astros are in Philadelphia for the first weekend of the season in April.

By the way, Hall is a lifetime 3 for 22 with seven strikeouts against Hamels.